Head-to-head comparison
Bowdoin College vs Maine College of Health Professions: which has better ROI?
Option A Brunswick, ME
Bowdoin College
- Net price / year
- $14,398
- Earnings, 10 years
- $82,735
- Payback
- 1.7 yrs
Option B Lewiston, ME
Maine College of Health Professions
- Net price / year
- $26,312
- Earnings, 10 years
- $79,840
- Payback
- 1.7 yrs
Bowdoin College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $57,592 in 1.7 years versus 1.7 years at Maine College of Health Professions, on median earnings of $82,735 vs $79,840 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bowdoin College | Maine College of Health Professions |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,398 | $26,312 |
| Total net cost | $57,592 | $52,624 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $82,735 | $79,840 |
| Median debt | $18,500 | $15,250 |
| Payback | 1.7 yrs | 1.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $629,908 | $576,976 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bowdoin College or Maine College of Health Professions?
Bowdoin College, at $14,398 a year after aid versus $26,312 — a gap of $11,914 a year, or $4,968 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Bowdoin College or Maine College of Health Professions graduates earn more?
Bowdoin College graduates report a median $82,735 ten years after entry, $2,895 more than the $79,840 at Maine College of Health Professions. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Bowdoin College or Maine College of Health Professions?
Maine College of Health Professions: its completers carry a median $15,250 in federal loans versus $18,500 at Bowdoin College, a difference of $3,250. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
95% of students finish at Bowdoin College, against 67% at Maine College of Health Professions. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.